ABOUT

Luton Life Galleries are a series of permanent exhibitions. Hat Industry and Headwear Collection

Luton has a long association with the hat industry, both in this country and around the world. As one of our significant collections we have over 700 hats and pieces of headwear alongside material and objects from the trade and retail sections of industry.

There are new hats that came directly from local companies and old hats that have been worn. We have men’s, women’s and children’s hats. Most are made from straw, but we also have fabric and felt hats.

In the Luton Life Gallery, you can only see a sample of what we have in the collection, but you can learn about the breadth of Luton’s industry and hear about the working life of people who made their living from hats.